Understanding
by YnxTheLynx
Summary: A hidden bond between rivals may lead to something more. Crappy summary, sorry, RxR please and thank you


*****WARNING**I probably can't do Bunny's ascent to save my life so bear with me please***

The year after they beat Pitch was the hardest. The nightmare king had caused a lot of damage, to nothing more so than the Warren. When the lights returned the Pole and Tooth Palace recovered right away, but with the loss of Easter, belief in Bunnymund wasn't strong enough. No, the Warren couldn't completely heal and Bunny wouldn't be back to full strength until next Easter when he could prove to the children he was real again.

The other Guardians offered to help, but Bunny turned them down. The Pooka insisted that Tooth and Sandy focus on their work and North prepare for Christmas. "I've managed before, I still can now mate." was Bunny's only answer when North asked why. So he was surprised one morning when he saw a light snow fall in his Warren. The Pooka quickly found the winter spirit, cornered by egg golems. "Hey Kangaroo." Jack Frost grinned at him. Bunny only glared and opened a tunnel so quickly Jack couldn't fly away before he was thrown out of the Warren.

The next morning went the same. The two after were worse. The arguments started even small fights sometimes. That's when Bunny noticed it. The way the winter spirit's mischievous smiles seemed forced. How he couldn't hide the sadness that flashed through his eyes when Bunny yelled at him or sent him away. Most of all how fragile he was, under his act. Bunny noticed it all, but never told Jack. And after weeks of arguments and fights, Bunny had enough.

The next morning the Pooka found Jack, like he had for weeks now, in the Warren. This time the young Guardian sat on a small hill looking over the Warren. He turned with a playful smile when he heard Bunny come up beside him. A month ago he would've believed the spirit just came to cause trouble, but now he was sure there was something else. He surprised Jack by sitting beside him, taking in the Warren. "Why ya here mate?"

"I can't come visit my favorite kangaroo and bring a little snow to spring?" he asked lightly.

"Ya come ever 'day an' I always tell ya to bugger off, so why keep comin'?" Bunny sighs.

"I get bored in the summer and you're so much fun to play with." Jack laughs.

"Enough"

"Wha…"

Bunny moved to sit across from the young Guardian. His ears lower a little as he spoke, "Enough of the act. I know that there's somethin' else so why ya really here?"

Jack stiffened a little, "I already told you." he said coolly.

"The truth Frostbite." He grabs the spirit's wrist before he could fly off.

"It's nothing, stupid really." He mumbles, Bunny still hears him perfectly though.

"What? Look yer not leavin' til ya give me an answer Frostbite"

Jack sighs, his head dropped, "Tooth has the fairies. North has the yetis and elves. Even Sandy has the mermaids. You have the eggs, but not any one to talk to really and, I don't know, I thought maybe you'd be…" he cuts off.

"What?"

The spirit deflates, "Lonely."

Then Bunny understood. Jack had spent centuries all alone and was still getting used to having people around, having a family. The spirit knew the other Guardians had someone there to help, even just talk to, but Bunny was alone like he had been. The spirit in front of him, his opposite, his rival, was worried about him.

Bunny pulled Jack's wrist, hugging the winter spirit suddenly. Jack stiffened, but after a moment returned the gesture. Bunny pulled away, looking down at the confused spirit. "North ever tell ya why I'm here?" At the more confused look he continued, "My planet was destroyed centuries ago, by Pitch. I'm the last of my kind. I was here, in the Warren, alone for centuries before I found the others." Jack only nodded. He knew what that was like.

"It's not gonna be like that again Snowflake, for either of us." Bunny promised.

The sudden change in the winter and spring spirits surprised the other Guardians (North and Tooth really, nothing surprise Sandy). At the next meeting, they saw the once rivals acting more like brothers. No one questioned the change, just knew that there was finally an understanding between the opposites, the rivals, the brothers.


End file.
